Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

Michigan

Change Region

comments

Chela's owners organizing first Ann Arbor Latin Festival July 12

061314_news_a2sf_pr_09.JPG

Tamales from Chelas are served at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Top of the Park. Chela's is organizing a Latin Festival on July 12, featuring food, soccer, wrestling, music, dance, children's activities and other entertainment.
(Patrick Record | Ann Arbor News File Photo)

Iraola said she initially had the inspiration to organize a Latin festival when she and her children were dancing at German Park, and it occurred to her that she had no local outlet to expose her children to their Mexican heritage.

"When our children were little, we would have jumped in the car and driven anywhere to a Latin festival," said Iraola. "Then for us, there wasn’t anywhere to show our children even a little bit of their culture."

Iraola worries that as immigrants adapt to American culture, they can lose some of the history and tradition that makes them unique.

"We all blend into a wonderful melting pot, but that little bit, you just want to show your kids," said Iraola. "You just want to say: 'Oh my gosh, this dance is a romantic dance and it comes from this area in Mexico and there’s a history behind each of the dances.' But we start losing it all. So that’s why we wanted to to this festival. To preserve that."

The festival will feature music and dance from The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Guatemala, a meet and greet with Nickelodeon characters Dora and Diego, soccer matches, a beer and alcohol tent, a petting zoo, a bounce house, pony rides, and luchas - Mexican masked wrestlers.

"We'll have salsa, meringues, soca and tangos, and there will be so much dancing," said Aquino. "And we'll have many different types of food. Latin culture is huge, and this is our opportunity to show off a little bit of what the culture is. This will be authentic - that's the key word. It's authentic."

Admission is $10, and children under the age of 15 enter for free. The festival takes place on Saturday, July 12, from 1 to 11 p.m. at the Washtenaw Farm Council grounds, 5055 Saline Ann Arbor Rd. Information on performers and event times can be found at AnnArborLatinFestival.com.